Report: Complaints About Violence In New York Schools Are At An All-Time High

Reports of violent incidents at New York City schools — including sexual assault and fighting — have increased by more than 50 since 2005, The New York Post reported.Alarmingly, it is the more serious crime stats that have increased, according to new statistics analysed by the Post:

– Since 2009, assaults resulting in serious injury more than doubled.

– Alcohol possession more than doubled since 2006, while drug possession increased by more than 50 per cent since 2008.

– Bullying and intimidation cases nearly doubled to 7,612 since 2005.

– Sex offenses have hit 2,028 incidents — the second-highest total in recent years.

There is some positive news, however. State data shows that weapons possession in city schools for the 2010-2011 school year had decreased by nearly half since 2005, to 2,775 incidents.

New York Department of Education officials attribute the increase in incidents to better reporting by schools rather than a jump in violence, The Post reported.

“It’s better record-keeping,” a DOE spokeswoman told The Post. “Issues like smoking or skipping school weren’t being entered into the system years ago, and now we capture more of those incidents.”